Cobra Kai is ending with season 6, and the final Cobra Kai season will have the difficult mission of wrapping up the Karate Kid legacy sequel show. After five seasons following Johnny Lawrence and Daniel LaRusso as well as a new generation of characters, Cobra Kai will end with its “biggest” season yet as promised by the first official teaser. Between Kreese’s return and the Sekai Taikai, the stakes for Cobra Kai’s final season could not be higher.
There are not many unresolved storylines left for Cobra Kai to revisit. With most of the rivalries settled and all of the original characters fighting for the same dojo, Cobra Kai has set the stage for its final season to be unlike the previous ones. From the fate of the Cobra Kai dojo to who is going to win the Sekai Taikai, here are seven theories for how Cobra Kai will end.
7 The Cobra Kai Dojo Is Defeated At The Sekai Taikai
By the end of Cobra Kai season 5, the future of the Cobra Kai dojo was a mystery. Terry Silver was arrested after his fights against Chozen and Daniel LaRusso; John Kreese is on the run, and all of the Cobra Kai students left the dojo after learning that Silver paid off the referee during the All Valley. That said, it’s difficult to imagine that Cobra Kai season 6’s Sekai Taikai will not have the Cobra Kai dojo. Cobra Kai was selected for the Sekai Taikai, and sensei Kim could now be the one to lead the dojo that was inspired by her grandfather's techniques.
There will obviously be a lot of other dojos in the Sekai Taikai, as it will be a global karate tournament. Cobra Kai season 6 will probably not limit itself to Miyagi-Fan vs. Cobra Kai fights, especially with a world competition as the season’s motif. Still, the Cobra Kai dojo was the very first opponent in the Karate Kid universe and thus should be the final one. For Terry Silver’s Cobra Kai expansion plans to fail, the Cobra Kai dojo cannot win the Sekai Taikai as that would make Cobra Kai synonymous with karate all over the globe. Therefore, a solid prediction is that Cobra Kai loses the Sekai Taikai.
6 Kreese Is Redeemed
Of the original Karate Kid villains, John Kreese and Terry Silver are the only ones left to be redeemed. Considering that Silver does not see himself as evil and “just” wants to defeat anyone who stands between him and the Cobra Kai dojo success, it’s difficult to imagine that Terry Silver will be redeemed. In fact, Cobra Kai season 5 suggested that Terry Silver is terminally ill, not to mention how Silver was ready to die against Chozen. Even if Silver returns in Cobra Kai season 6, the best option for the character is to be defeated and realize that his Cobra Kai plan will never work.
For Kreese, however, a redemption arc is far more likely. Cobra Kai season 5 almost redeemed Kreese, and it had the original Karate Kid villain confront his failures and fears for the first time in the saga. The Kreese therapy scene deconstructed the character in a way that strongly suggests that Johnny Lawrence’s sensei will be redeemed before Cobra Kai ends, although Kreese will probably still be a villain by the time Cobra Kai season 6 starts. Kreese did escape prison after seemly opening himself during therapy, which leaves the character’s future rather ambiguous. Still, Cobra Kai cannot end without John Kreese finally being redeemed.
5 Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce Appears
Though it may have seemed far-fetched back in Cobra Kai season 1 to imagine that Mr. Miyagi’s other student Julie Pierce would ever appear on the show, Cobra Kai soon proved that no Karate Kid cameo was beyond the series. Whereas a lot of reboots like Terminator: Dark Fate or Jurassic World try to ignore parts of their franchises that did not quite work, Cobra Kai embraced the Karate Kid canon in its entirety. Major characters from all three Daniel LaRusso Karate Kid films have returned, and now the show is only missing a Hilary Swank Julie Pierce cameo.
It is important to remember that 2010’s The Karate Kid is not considered part of the “Miyagiverse”, especially because Jackie Chan was mentioned in Cobra Kai. Therefore, in terms of Karate Kid cameos, Hilary Swank’s Julie Pierce is the only major character left for Cobra Kai to revisit. With Cobra Kai season 6 being the final season, it is the final chance for the show to reference an important but often forgotten part of the Karate Kid universe. That is why Cobra Kai season 6 should not end without Swank’s Julie Pierce appearing, be it in a small cameo or in a more significant role.
4 Johnny Leads The Cobra Kai Dojo Again
Recent Cobra Kai seasons have put the show in a tricky situation as the Cobra Kai dojo became the “villain” again. The most interesting thing about Cobra Kai was how it flipped the story’s perspective from Daniel to Johnny, and how this time it was Cobra Kai that was helping the “karate kid”. Thanks to Johnny Lawrence's Cobra Kai dojo, Miguel found the confidence he needed, similar to how Mr. Miyagi’s teachings were crucial for Daniel LaRusso in The Karate Kid. Daniel was almost the villain in Cobra Kai season 1, with Johnny trying to make things right for the Cobra Kai dojo and its news students.
However, ever since Kreese returned, Cobra Kai went back to being the adversary. Johnny hasn’t been a Cobra Kai sensei since season 2 when Kreese took over, and after Terry Silver returned, Johnny became even more distant from his original dojo. It would not make sense for a show named after the Cobra Kai dojo to end with Cobra Kai being reduced to the show's villain that has to be defeated once and for all. Instead, it would be much better if Johnny reclaims Cobra Kai at the end of season 6. That would make Cobra Kai go full circle, as the show started with Johnny reopening Cobra Kai to help Miguel.
3 Johnny And Carmen Get Married
Jonny and Carmen are expecting a child, plus things have never been better between Miguel and Robby. With all sides of this family getting along, Carmen and Johnny will likely get married in Cobra Kai season 6. Johnny is now on good terms with Robby’s mother, and he and Robby have also fixed their relationship. In addition, Miguel realized that Carmen was right about his father all along. Essentially, it’s the perfect time for Johnny and Carmen to get married. Cobra Kai started as a Johnny Lawrence story, so seeing Johnny start a family by the end of season 6 is a great way to wrap up the show.
2 Miguel Wins The Sekai Taikai
The Sekai Taikai is what will set the tone for Cobra Kai season 6. A global karate tournament is the most logical endgame for the Karate Kid and Cobra Kai universe, the perfect culmination for a saga that began with the 1984 All Valley Karate Tournament. Many Cobra Kai characters could win the Sekai Taikai, and there are strong story reasons for each of them to be the champion. Neither Robby nor Sam has ever won a tournament, for example. However, Cobra Kai started with Miguel, the new karate kid, and it was through his journey that the show expanded. Therefore, Miguel should win the Sekai Taikai.
1 Cobra Kai Ends With A Mr. Miyagi Flashback
As fun as it is to see Silver fight Chozen in a battle to the death while Johnny Lawrence and Mike Barnes are fighting a dozen senseis, the Karate Kid story originally thrived for its simplicity. The bond between Daniel LaRusso and Mr. Miyagi separated The Karate Kid from similar movies, with Pat Morita's character remaining a pop culture icon to this day. Mr. Miyagi’s presence is felt throughout Cobra Kai, from direct mentions to subtler links between the new characters and Daniel’s sensei. Cobra Kai has cleverly used Mr. Miyagi's flashbacks before, and now Cobra Kai’s final season should end with a Mr. Miyagi scene.